Georgia TANF Plan – December 2008

Georgia’s State Plan

FFY-2009 – FFY 2010

Temporary Assistance

for

Needy Families

GeorgiaDepartment of Human Resources

Division of Family and Children Services

Submitted December 31, 2008

Georgia TANF Plan
Table of Contents

Page

Introduction………………………………………………………………. 4

I.General Provisions …………………………………….….. 6

A.Program Administration……………………………….. 6

B.Work Requirements……………………………………….. 7

C.Work Participation and Activity Requirements.. 7

1.Participation Requirements……………………………... 7

2.Support Services……………………………………… 9 a. Child care …………..…………………………. 9

b.Transportation services………………………10

c.Rehabilitation services………………………10

d.Mental health services………………………10

e.Developmental Disability services ……………………11

3.Work Activities………………………………………12

4.Sanctions……………………………………………… 16

5.Transitional Services………………………………………17

D.HARDSHIP WAIVERS………………………………………18

ECONFIDENTIALITY………………………………………19

F.REDUCING OUT OF WEDLOCKLOCK PREGNANCIES……...19

G.TWO-PARENT FAMILIES……………………………………….21

  1. EDUCATION AND TRAINING ON THE PROBLEM OF

STATUTORY RAPE……………………………………….21

I.CULTURAL CHANGE………………………………………22

J.HEALTHY MARRIAGES INITIATIVE………………………22

II.Special Provisions …………………………….…………………22

  1. INTERSTATE PROGRAM REGULATIONS………………22

B.Non-citizen Provision………………………………22

C.Objective Criteria……………………………………… 23

  1. Assistance……………………………………………… 23

a.Non-Financial Rules .…………………………… 24

b.Financial Rules……………………………… 25

Georgia TANF Plan
Table of Contents

Page

2.Non-assistance.……………………………… 29

a.Ready-for-Work ………………………………30

b.Transitional Support Services ……………………30

c.Child Protective Services………………………30

d.Early Intervention Services………………………31

e.Second Chance Homes………………………31

f.Microenterprise………………………………31

g.Kinship Care………………………………31

h.Family Connection………………………………33

i.Fatherhood Initiative …………………………… 33

j.Domestic Violence Services .…………………… 33

k.Disaster/Emergency Assistance……………… 34

l.Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Crisis Intervention

Services Payment (CRISP)……………………… 34

m.Employment Intervention Services……………… 35

n.Work Support Program……………………… 35

o.Community Outreach Services……………… 36

D.Community Service Requirement……………… 36

  1. Administrative Appeal Process and

Benefit Recovery……………………………………… 36

III.Certifications……………………………………………………… 37

IV.Funding……………………………………………………………… 39

Appendix A………………………………………………………………………40

Georgia Confidentiality Law

Appendix B………………………………………………………………………42

Georgia Statutory Rape Law

Georgia’s Temporary Assistance for NeedyFamiliesStatePlan for FFY 2009

The State of Georgia continues to operate a program to serve the broad purposes of Title 1, Block Grants to States for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (P.L. 104193), using the state family assistance grant made under Section 103 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.

INTRODUCTION

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-193), Title I, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) states that the purpose of the TANF program is to strengthen the economic and social stability of families, in part by:

  • providing assistance to needy families so that children can be cared for in their homes or in the homes of relatives
  • ending the dependency of needy parents on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage
  • preventing and reducing the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies and establish annual numerical goals for preventing and reducing the incidence of these pregnancies
  • Encouraging the formation and maintenance of two-parent families.

Georgia will continue to conduct a program under the provisions of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) and the Deficit Reduction act of 2005 (DRA 2005). Georgia’s primary goal is to provide necessary assistance on a temporary basis to needy families with children, to assist parents with job preparation, and to provide work opportunities, support services, and the enforcement of child support obligations to children living in these families. In so doing, Georgia will help needy families become self-sufficient and able to leave the TANF program as soon as possible. There is no entitlement to any assistance under Georgia’s TANF program. Assistance will be provided for a maximum of forty-eight months, except as noted in the hardship sections of this plan.

Promoting the well-being of the children of Georgia is a major part of the mission of the Department of Human Resources and its Division of Family and Children Services. In order to fulfill its mission, the Department assists families in their efforts to acquire the necessary means to achieve economic self-sufficiency. Assistance is provided in the following manner:

  • work activities that include job search, job training, and assistance with job placement;
  • support services such as child care, transportation, work support payments, diversion payments,community outreach services, and reimbursement for other necessary expenditures that can assist families in obtaining employment and remaining employed, thus eliminating the need for cash assistance;
  • cash assistance that is normally provided by electronic benefits transfer;
  • support services intended to support and maintain two-parent families; and
  • support services intended to prevent teen and out-of-wedlock pregnancies.

In the administration of the TANF program in Georgia:

  • Work is given the highest priority in the provision of services and benefits.
  • The needs of children receive high priority in choosing program options.
  • Benefits are directly linked to the exercise of responsible behavior on the part of parents receiving benefits on behalf of their children.
  • Parental responsibility and employment initiatives are incorporated into the program’s design.
  • Efforts to reduce teen pregnancy are pursued in cooperation with non-profit agencies and other governmental organizations.
  • Efforts to encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families.

The focus on employment reflects Georgia’s commitment to meet all work requirements contained in the federal legislation. This commitment includes the provision of childcare and other support services necessary to not just place people in jobs, but to help keep them employed. Participants who go to work and lose cash benefits may continue to receive Medicaid, Food Stamps, support services and transitional benefits, including assistance with childcare, transportation, and other costs associated with employment.

The focus on children reflects Georgia’s commitment to an aggressive effort to end the cycle of welfare dependency that has characterized entitlement-based programs in the past. Georgia’s focus on what is beneficial to children extends beyond merely providing cash assistance. Children benefit from the availability of child welfare, public health and community-based programs and, consequently, prevention programs benefit a broad range of at-risk youth. Children in TANF families have access to Georgia’s Pre-Kindergarten and HOPE Scholarship programs.

Georgia requires responsible parental behavior as a condition of eligibility for public assistance. The State has retained its family cap provision, immunization requirement, work acceptance and maintenance requirement, a teen living arrangement provision, and participation in work activities. These efforts are coupled with aggressive child support enforcement. In submitting this plan, Georgia restates its commitment to continue and to expand these efforts.

I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

A. PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

The Department of Human Resources, Division of Family and Children Services administers the TANF program at the state level while services are delivered at the local level through the network of Division of Family and Children Services offices located in each of Georgia’s 159 counties.

The identified services are available in all political subdivisions in the State. The services are directed by countyDivision of Family and Children Services staff in collaboration with other local public and private agencies. A range of job placement, job preparation and support services is available in each county office, but may vary in scope depending on local resources. All services provided are in keeping with the current goal of reducing dependency by helping families leave the cash assistance rolls as soon as possible and by diverting applicants toward employment so they will have no need for cash assistance.

Services are provided through a structure that connects TANF applicants and recipients to jobs, job preparation and support systems. The Department uses non-financial agreements when possible and paid agreements when necessary to ensure that clients are able to access needed services. Some services may be provided through other divisions within the Department of Human Resources (DHR).

Working with other state agencies and providers outside of DHR is crucial to the Department’s success in making needed services available. The range of services needed by clients is provided through partnerships with the Department of Labor, Department of Education and local Boards of Education, the Board of Regents, the Department of Technical and Adult Education, Community Action Agencies, United Way, Chambers of Commerce, business associations, community-based organizations and religious groups.

Coordination of local services and obtaining the cooperation and involvement of communities are priorities of DHR. Community Resource Developers help to develop resources at the local level and help to ensure the involvement of numerous local service providers, agencies and businesses.

To insure the effective and efficient management of the Georgia TANF program, outcome-based performance measures are identified and evaluated on an ongoing basis. These outcome measures include, but are not limited to:

  • Increases in family income, including a review of family income as a percentage of the federal poverty rate;
  • The number of TANF families that achieve employment;
  • Decrease in the out-of-wedlock pregnancy rate, with special focus on data about teens;
  • The number of former TANF recipients returning to the rolls; and
  • The number of applicants diverted from cash assistance.

B. WORK REQUIREMENTS

Those applicants or recipients of cash assistance that are deemed to have a work requirement must participate in work activities in accordance with federal TANF guidelines. In two-parent families, where both parents are deemed to be work eligible and have a work requirement, then both parents are required to participate in work activities. A work eligible individual is expected to participate in work activities immediately after having been approved for cash assistance.

A parent who does not receive TANF because of a disqualification or a penalty must still meet mandatory work requirements unless otherwise exempt.

The only exemption to the work requirement is that a single custodial parent can choose to be exempt from these work requirements if there is a child in the home under twelve months of age. This exemption can be used for a period of 12 weeks (3 months). If there are additional children that enter the home, who are under the age of 12 months, the parent can request to be exempt from work activities at that time. However, the total exemption is not to exceed 12 months during the 48-month TANF lifetime limit of the parent.

A minor, single custodial parent who does not have a high school diploma or its equivalent cannot be exempted from mandatory work activities. Instead, such a parent must participate in education or alternate training activities as soon as it is medically possible following the birth of a child, but no later than twelve weeks after the child’s birth.

Non-custodial, non-supporting minor parents who are included in a TANF AU are required to attend school, obtain a high school diploma or GED, participate in parenting and/or money management classes, perform community service, and cooperate with Office of Child Support Services (OCSS).

C. WORK PARTICIPATION AND ACTIVITY REQUIREMENTS

1. Participation Requirements

Georgia is committed to attain the minimum participation rate established by PL 104-93 for all families receiving assistance for each fiscal year specified in the law.

In order to meet federal work participation standards, numerous obligations are placed upon recipients. A TANF Family Service Plan (TFSP) is developed for each recipient who has a work requirement. The TFSP specifies the recipient’s personal responsibilities, employment goal and the steps necessary for the achievement of the goal. The plan specifies the responsibilities of both the recipient and agency in achieving the goal. Every parent with children receiving TANF and every caretaker relative who receives TANF on behalf of children in the home must complete his or her own TFSP. The plan defines the individual’s personal responsibilities, emphasizes the contractual nature of assistance, and focuses on the goal of the attainment of self-sufficiency.

Due to recent changes in the federal guidelines, participants with a mandatory work requirement were redefined. These participants are now referred to as work eligible individuals.

WorkEligible Individual–A work eligible individual is an adult (or minor child head-of-household) receiving assistance under TANF or a Separate State Program (SSP) or a non-recipient parent living with a child receiving such assistance.

A non-recipient parent living with a child could be a disqualified parent, a parent who is penalized for failing to meet an eligibility requirement or a parent who is ineligible for TANF receipt due to certain regulations.

Exceptions to work eligible adults:

A recipient parent who is:

  • providing care for a disabled family member living in the home provided that the need for such care be supported by medical documentation.
  • receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits.

A non-recipient parent who is:

  • a minor parent and not the head-of-household;
  • a parent who is ineligible due to his/her immigration status; or
  • a parent who receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI).A non-parent relative or a legal guardian who is included in the AU would be a work eligible adult.

2. Support Services

When needed, support services are provided to assist TANF applicants and recipients to participate in work activities that will preserve months of potential TANF eligibility and lead to stable employment. Support services for TANF applicants and recipients are provided through a combination of federal TANF and state MOE funds. These services may include:

  • childcare;
  • transportation, including, but not limited to, driver’s license fees, vehicle repairs and car insurance;
  • work clothing, when required for employment;
  • eyewear, medical and dental services when required for employment;
  • tools, when required for employment;
  • occupational licensing fees;
  • emergency assistance with rent and utilities;
  • rehabilitation services;
  • specialized non-medical services designed to help developmentally disabled TANF recipients move into the work force;
  • specialized non-medical support services designed to move into the workforce TANF recipients with identifiable mental health barriers to employment.
  • employment intervention services
  • transitional support services, and,
  • work support services

Eligibility for support services is based on financial need. Support services are provided when necessary, but cannot exceed the maximum allowed by state law and funding. Benefits are provided at application and during periods of eligibility through cash to the TANF client and payments to providers. If sanctioned, clients may lose a portion or all of their support services.

a. Child Care

Childcare is provided in the form of payments to providers. A sliding fee scale is used for a family with income, while an applicant or recipient of TANF may be eligible for services without a fee if the caretaker is active in job search, job training, or other work-related activities.

b. Transportation Services

Georgia funds transportation programs to assist families in overcoming barriers to employment resulting from a lack of sufficient transportation. Initiatives include a reverse commute initiative, direct subsidies and the Wheels-to-Work program that provides vehicles to eligible participants. These services are available to TANF applicants engaged in job search activities or other activities deemed necessary for the completion of the application process. These services are also available to TANF recipients engaged in work activities that support their TANF Family Service Plan.

c. Rehabilitation Services

Rehabilitation services are provided to a participant, who has a disability, that is physical, mental, or emotional that interferes with the individual’s ability to work. DFCS case managers make referrals to Rehabilitation Services after completing assessments of TANF participants. We use Form 490- Applicant Services Employment Assessment and Form 491- Employment Services family Assessment to determine if Vocational Rehabilitation Services are needed and whether or not provision of this service will remove the barrier to economic self-sufficiency. Based on an assessment of the participant’s needs, these services are provided through contracts or referrals to partner state or community agencies that will assist TANF participants in becoming and remaining employed. In these programs, a State licensed health care provider completes a treatment plan that describes the nature of treatment or therapy and indicates that such treatment or therapy is necessary for the participant to be able to work.

Currently in Georgia, we contract with the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) Vocational Rehabilitation Division to provide comprehensive assessments (vocational, medical, and psychological) for TANF participants that report an ADA disability. Based on the results of the assessment, the participant is referred back to the TANF agency with noted accommodations for participation in work activities or they enter into a treatment plan with Rehabilitation Services.

d. Mental Health Services

Mental health services consist of medical or mental health treatment, therapy, counseling, and other services to address mental or emotional disorders that can interfere with an individual’s ability to work or look for work. We use Form 490- Applicant Services Employment Assessment and Form 491- Employment Services Family Assessment to evaluate the participant’s need for placement in Mental Health Services activity. A professional mental health staff member determines, on a case- by- case basis, what typeand to what degree Mental Health Services are required by the TANF participant. Mental Health Services include non-medical evaluation and diagnosis; individual, family, group and activity therapy; and counseling. Emergency services include non-medical short-term support services during a psychiatric crisis.

A network of providers, including community service boards, boards of health and private agencies, provide a range of non-medical services to people in their home communities, day treatment or training programs, crisis intervention, supported employment and service coordination.

e. Developmental Disabilities Services

The Developmental Disabilities program provides supported employment services that assist participants with developmental disabilities, to find and maintain employment. In addition, the program provides family and personal counseling, social development, and a range of in-home services to help participants with developmental disabilities continue to live with their families. These services are provided through referrals to partner state or community agencies.